The intent of HowToKiteboard.com is to provide a free, progressive reference, for kiteboarders to review skills already learned in a professional lesson environment, and/or to provide information for non-kiteboarders, or kiteboarders who would like to be better prepared for their next lesson.

Most of our information is listed in the "How to Info" part of the menu bar. The start here section involves some hands on do-it-yourself practice with a trainer kite (1-3m kite) as well as some info if you are planning on buying your own gear. This is where the do-it-yourself ends. All information regarding learning bigger, or more powerful kites, is for self study only. We don't want this to be a teach yourself guide. OK, now one more time in RED.

NOTICE!

This website is NOT intended to teach people how to kiteboard or kitesurf (hereinafter collectively referred to as “kiteboard” or “kiteboarding”). Kiteboarding is a dangerous sport, and can lead to severe personal injury to yourself and others. In some cases, kiteboarding accidents can be fatal. For this reason, no person should ever try to teach themselves how to kiteboard using this or any other website. To reduce the risk of injury or death, a person should always obtain personal instruction from a reputable, certified kiteboarding instructor. Kiteboarding is an inherently dangerous sport, and the risks can never be eliminated. However, by securing lessons from a certified kiteboarding instructor you can greatly reduce the risks to yourself and others. The information provided on this website is meant solely to re-enforce the concepts and ideas taught by your instructor. If a lesson, technique, trick, move, or concept on this website has not been taught to you by a certified kiteboarding instructor, you should not attempt that lesson, technique, trick, move, or concept. If there is ever a conflict between what your personal instructor has taught you and the information found on this website, you should always follow the advice of your certified instructor.

What is Kiteboarding or Kitesurfing?

Kiteboarding refers to the act of riding any type of board while using a kite for pulling power and motion. When using a kite for pulling power across the water, it's commonly called kitesurfing. Kitesurfing is like wakeboarding behind a giant kite! Anyone who has ever seen a decent kiteboarder ride, is usually thrilled with idea of trying the latest and greatest sport on earth. Check out the short video clip below to see a kiteboarder in action.

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Where can I Kiteboard?

Wide open, windy spaces are the best areas for kiteboarding. Variations on this activity are widespread, including using kite-buggies and Mountain boards on land, snowboards on the snow, and various other ski/skate contraptions for other surfaces such as ice or sand. In the water, you can choose from wakeboards, surfboards, foil boards, skis, canoes, and even boats.

How do I learn to kiteboard?

This website is designed to compliment Professional Instruction. If you try to teach yourself, you will either destroy your kite, injure yourself, injure someone else, all of the above, or even worse. Get at least one three hour lesson from a professional kiteboarding instructor. In the end, this will save time, and money, not to mention frustration, and possibly your life.

How Long Does it Take to Learn How to Kiteboard?

In our experience this can vary greatly. For the fastest learners, usually 5-6 hours of lessons if taken under ideal conditions. For average learners, in difficult conditions, it can take 12-15 hours or more. How much preparation one does for their first kiteboarding is a key factor. We highly recommend students fly a trainer kite, and get a good kiteboarding instructional video, and/or study this website. This is the best homework to get done before your first kiteboarding class.

What Are Ideal Conditions for a Kiteboarding Lesson?

First, you want to choose a reputable kiteboarding school with certified instructors. A kiteboarding school offering boat or wave runner support will allow you to maximize your learning, as the process of learning to kiteboard involves getting dragged far downwind by the kite. Without a boat, you spend much of the lesson time dragging your equipment back to where you started, which is tiring. Also, without a boat, communication between you and your instuctor is difficult, and more importantly, without a boat, an instructor's supervision for your safety can be hindered or prevented?

For on site conditions, steady wind makes flying the kite much easier; with gusty or inconsistent winds, the kite often drops out of the sky. You can't learn as quickly if your kite is on the water most of the time. Shallow and flat water make learning much easier as rough water makes it hard to do everything, from getting the board on your feet, to getting up on the board, or staying balanced on the board once you're up and riding. Shallow water is great for making the kite easier to relaunch after it's been crashed. Also, it's nice to stand up and get the water out of your nose after taking a face first high speed plunge.